Tesla Model S gets new options, price increase on things like XM Radio

During the Teslive town hall with Tesla fans in July, company CEO Elon Musk was his usual interesting, informative self, and he even dropped some news about changes coming to the Model S. The big ones are a valet parking mode (to limit performance so those punk kids don't go tear things up with your EV), a better navigation system (so that north is always facing up, for example, and a way to download maps for offline use) and a way to use your phone's data connection instead of the built-in cell network receiver in the Model S. You can see an hour-long video of Musk's talk below.

Even more recently, the Model S order page was updated with new options like parking sensors and a Subzero Weather Package for $750. That package, recommended for buyers who live wherever it regularly drops below freezing, adds three-zone rear seat heaters, wiper blade defrosters and washer nozzle heaters. The company has also raised the price of some of previously existing features. Adding XM satellite radio, for example, used to cost $950, but it's now part of the $2,500 Ultra High Fidelity Sound package option.

On the Tesla Motors forum page, some customers and potential customers are expressing their displeasure with the price increases and the lack of a grace period for people who wanted the "old" version and prices. It's impossible to know exactly how hard these increases will hit individual buyers, but some commenters are comparing the prices today with what they bought their Model S EVs for a few months ago and are finding that the increases add around 8-9 percent to the overall cost of the car.

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